Product to control Pepino mosaic virus is authorised
During its June meeting, the Board for the Authorization of Plant Protection Products and Biocides (Ctgb) decided to authorise a plant protection product to control the Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV). The new product is based on two low-risk substances. PepMV is a serious problem in tomato cultivation. The product, known as V10, acts like a 'vaccination' with two attenuated (weakened) virus strains. To prevent possible spreading of the attenuated virus via seedlings or cuttings, the product is authorised for use only in the production phase of the tomato.
Vaccination with attenuated virus
The product works as follows: the tomato plant is infected with attenuated variants of PepMV. Similar to the effect of a vaccination, this activates the immune system of the plant. As a result, it is no longer susceptible to the aggressive variant of PepMV.